Cabinet hinge



P 1961 R. 'MEILINGER 2,999,269

CABINET HINGE Filed April 28, 1958 30 5 [5 n/ m. Fl [2 w 1 ig.-Z

INVENTOR.

1' Raymond Mei/Inger P l g 0 5 BY ATTOR N EYS 2,999,269 CABINET HINGE Raymond Meilinger, Denver, Colo., assignor to Meiliuger Fixtures Company, Inc., Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado 1 Filed Apr. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 731,442 3 Claims. (Cl. 16-149) This invention relates to reversible door hinges and particularly to reversible, cabinet door hinges, which are arranged for quick and easy assembly and disassembly which permits a door to be quickly and easily secured to or removed and reversed in a cabinet.

The present invention provides a cabinet door hinge which is made essentially of two major assemblies. One assembly, which includes the pivot or pintle is arranged to be attached to the cabinet on which the door is to be mounted, and the other assembly is mounted on the'door. After mounting each of the assemblies, the door may then be readily snapped into position on the hinges ready for operation. The hinge is a semi-hidden hinge in that the major portion of the hinge is hidden when the door is closed, and only the pivot part is visible. The hinge is, furthermore, so arranged that the door of the cabinet may be reversed, that is, turned inside out. This reversal feature is easily and simply accomplished by removing the door, reversing it and turning it upside down so that the former inside is on the outside and the door is easily replaced on the hinges.

The hinge of the invention includes a spring-loaded.

plunger which holds the door in the pivot assembly whereby the door may be simply and easily removed from the hinge by merely pressing the plunger downwardly from engagement with the hinge and moving the door from aligned position with the hinge. The plunger holds the door on the hinge and prevents turning of the door in the hinge.

Included among the objects and advantages of the invention is an improved cabinet hinge which is easily and quickly mountable on a cabinet structure, and requires a minimum of measurement and fitting for correct alignment. The hinge of the invention provides a semihidden hinge for flush cabinet doors, and further provides a single movement assembly or disassembly of the door from the cabinet. The invention, furthermore, provides a spring-loaded plunger which co-acts with a pivot assembly for holding a door onto the pivot assembly and permitting quick assembly and disassembly of the door from the cabinet. The hinge provides a means for reversing the door to thereby permit quick change of cabinet decor.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a single door cabinet illustrating the mounting of a flush door and hinges on such a cabinet;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge of the in vention mounted on a door and illustrating the alignment of the major components of the hinge;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the hinge of the invention mounted on a cabinet illustrating the open and closed position of the hinge;

FIG. 4 is a detailed plan view of the swingable portion of the hinge; and,

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a sheath according to the invention in open position prior to assembly in a cabinet door.

The hinge of the invention is made in two major assemblies, illustrated in detail in FIG. 2. One of the assemblies is a pivot assembly which is arranged to be Sttes atent mounted on a cabinet, and it includes an angle, shown in general by numeral 1. The angle has a short upper leg 2 and a long leg 3 having two countersunk screw holes 4 therein. The short leg 2 includes an offset pivot or pintle flange 5 extending outwardly therefrom. A pivot pin hole 6 is bored in the flange 5. The door holding pivoting part of the assembly .1 includes a plate 10 having a rectangular hole 11 therein and an offset pivot flange 12 in position to align with the offset flange 5. A pivot pin hole 14 in the flange 12 is arranged to be aligned with the hole of the upper member. A pivot pin 15 is mounted in the holes in the two members and is riveted or otherwise secured therein to hold the two parts together and a washer 17 spaces the two parts for easy movement permitting the plate 10 to swing about the pivot. The door mounting assembly includes a rectangular sheave or sheath 20 which is mounted in a rectangular bore 21 in a cabinet door 22. A pair of reverse bent flanges 23 are arranged at the top of the sheave 20 and are driven into the door when the sheave is assembled in the square bore. A rectangular plunger 24 is reciprocally mounted in the sheave 20 and is held'by a screw 25 which is mounted in a threaded hole 26 in one end of the plunger. The screw extends through an enlarged hole 28 in the sheave preventing removal of the plunger. A spring 27 is mounted between the sheave and the plunger holding the two members apart. The hole 28 permits the body of screw 25 to freely pass but the head 33 of the screw is larger than the hole providing an effective stop.

In one eifect-ive embodiment the sheave 20 is made of sheet metal cut in the form of a cross, illustrated in FIG. 5, and it includes a flange 23 on opposite legs of the cross. A pointed extension 23a is provided on the flange 23 for penetrating the material of the door for securely holding the sheave in the door. For assembly the flanges 23are bent downwardly at right angles, and each of the legs are bent at right angles forming a rectangular sheath which is then inserted in the bore 21 of the door.

With the arms of the cross or sheath bent upwardly, the screw 25 is passed through the hole 28, spring 27 mounted thereon and a plunger 24 threaded on to the screw. This assembly is then placed in a rectangular bore 21 in the door. The sheath with the plunger assembly is pressed into the rectangular bore and the flanges 23a are driven into the wood to securely hold the sheath in position.

The pivoted assembly is mounted inthe door groove on a cabinet, FIG. 1, in the upper and lower left-hand corners. The leg 3 and the upper leg 2 of the hinge are countersunk into the cabinet frame 30, partially shown in FIG. 2 on the lower end of the leg 3'. The legs 3 are pushed tightly against the door opening 31, shown in FIG. 3. The door opening is, of course, an equivalent depth of the door 22 to provide a flush door. The door is easily assembled onto the hinge members by placing one of the plungers in the corresponding hole 11, for example the lower hinge. By depressing the other plunger and moving it under the plate 10 to a position where the plunger registers with the hole 11, the plunger snaps up through the hole, indicated in FIG. 2, securely holding the door on the hinge. In dismounting the door from the cabinet, one of the plungers of the two hinges is depressed and the door merely moved out of register with both hinges.

In one elfective use of the hinge, the door 22 may be provided with a face 35 of one color and the opposite face 36 with another color, shown in FIG. 2. T 0 change the color of the cabinet, all that is necessary is to depress the plunger on the top hinge, moving the door out of register therewith, and then turning-the door over, replace it on the hinges so that the other face is exposed. A door handle 39 may be provided on both sides of the door, or a removable 'door handle provided. so that it may be transferred from one side to the other.

7 One very etlectiveuse of the hinge of the invention is for kitchen, cabinets, iand'since the usual kitchen cabinet is not too large or heavy, avery adequate hinge may be made of about fourteen gaugemetal. For this purpose the angle 1 may be made approximately one inchby an inch and a half, and it is securely held by using two number seven wood screws. A very common wooden kitchen door ismade three-quarters of an inch thick, and, therefore, the bottom plate It) of the assembly should be three-quartersof an inch wide to accurately fit the width of the door. A 1 's'quare plunger and cooperative hole are satisfactory'to hold the door hinge and assembly. 7

The invention has been illustrated by reference to a specific cabinet, thatis a flush type door, but it is obvious.

' on the plunger. If the door turned in the plate, it would,

of course, prevent the operation of the hinge. While a single round plunger would not be satisfactory, two

smaller round plungers would provide a secure hold on the door and would prevent the door from pivoting in the plate. Other modifications and changes will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and there is not intention to limit the scope or the spirit of the inven- 4 tion to the precise details so set forth in the illustrations.

I claim. 7 1. In a cabinet assembly including a cabinet body and a door arranged for selective mounting with either face exposed, the combination which comprises a set of door supporting hinges mounted to permit opening the door along a single edge regardless of which door face is out,

each hinge set including an angle member mounted by means of one leg on opposite sides of a door opening on the cabinet assembly in position to receive a door therebetween, the other leg of each of said angle extending outwardly from the cabinet frame on which said first leg is attached, a pivot plate pivotally secured to each said other leg and each being pivotal through a substantial are, there being a non-circular opening in each said plate, a plunger assembly mounted in opposite edges of the door adjacent an edge, a plunger in each assembly extending beyond the door edge in which it is mounted, each plunger having a periphery of registering shape with the opening in each said plate, and spring means maintaining each said plunger in extended position, whereby the door is mountable with either face exposed and the plungers temporarily support the door rigidly on the pivot plates for movement therewith.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the noncircular opening is substantially square and the plunger registerable therewith is substantially square.

3. A device according to claim '1 in which said plunger assembly includes means for reciprocally maintaining the plunger therein.

References Cited in the filelot this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Campbell Mar. 3, 1942 Boldt et al May 20, 1958 

